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Tuesday, November 10, 2009

do remember!

Do remember!

Do remember the first time that you heard about him!

Maybe it was when you heard that he was the star quarterback at Bethel High in Hampton, Va who led the team to the state championship as a junior? He was an all state basketball player AND football player. In fact, many people went as far to say that he was better at football than he was at basketball. Maybe you heard that he was involved in an altercation at a bowling alley during his senior year. The fight was between black kids and white kids. During the fight, he allegedly struck a woman in the head with a chair. He, along with 3 of his friends who were also black, were the only ones who were arrested. He served 4 months in jail before being granted clemency by then Virginia Governor Douglas Wilder.

Do remember, Allen Iverson!

Maybe you saw him explode on the college basketball scene at Georgetown University under the legendary coach John Thompson? For two years, he dominated foes on the basketball court. He was the Defensive Player of the Year twice in the Big East Conference and he was Georgetown's all time leader in career scoring average (23 points per game). He led Georgetown to the NCAA Tournament both years. He was the first overall draft pick by the Philadelphia 76ers in the 1996 NBA Draft.

Do remember, Allen Iverson!

Maybe you saw his "killer" crossover dribble? Isolation at the top of the key with the ball in his hands. Standing in front of him was Michael Jordan. The greatest player to ever play the game. He dribbles left...dribbles right. Pause. Dribbles left...dribbles right and causes Jordan to stumble. He fools Jordan and makes him look silly. The move is called an "ankle breaker". To make matters worse, he hits the jump shot in Jordan's face. SWISH. Two points and an instant highlight reel. He was not gonna back down to his basketball idol. He was gonna show him. He did! Peep the video...

Maybe you saw him win the 1996 NBA Rookie of the Year Award? He out shined the guys other guys from his draft class...(Marcus Camby, Stephon Marbury, Ray Allen, Kobe Bryant, Peja Stojakovic, Steve Nash, and Jermaine O'Neal). He showed up to receive his award dressed in a sweat suit with a doo rag and a baseball cap. He set the NBA on fire with his speed and quickness. He had the uncanny ability to score at will. He was listed as being 6 foot 1 but he's probably closer to 5-10 and 175 pounds soaking wet. Despite being small, he was able to dominate a big mans game.

Do remember, Allen Iverson!

Maybe you saw him with the tattoos and the cornrows? He had a few run-ins with the police. He had more than a few run-ins with his coaches. He had a love/hate...then love again relationship with Sixers head coach Larry Brown. He showed up to the games dressed like a rap star. Baggy jeans, Timberlands, baseball caps, jerseys. You'd never catch him in a suit. You heard him go on a tirade about "practice". You saw him get killed in the media because he didn't play by their rules. You saw him be worshipped by millions of kids who looked up to him. A lot of these kids loved him because he was a poster boy for "keeping it real." Loved. Hated. Very misunderstood.

Do remember, Allen Iverson!

Maybe you saw him lead his 76er team to the NBA Finals? He won scoring titles, made numerous All-Star teams, named All-Star Game MVP. He took a team of scrubs to the NBA Finals only to lose to Shaquille O'Neal and Kobe Bryant. He still averaged 31 points a game, including 48 points in the 1st game victory. He grew and matured before our eyes. He became a father. He became a husband. He became a better teammate. He gave his best every night that he hit the floor

Do remember, Allen Iverson!

Maybe you saw him get traded from Philadelphia to Denver. Then traded from Denver to Detroit. This past summer he signed a contract to play with the woeful Memphis Grizzlies. He wants to keep being the dominant scorer that he used to be. However, Memphis feels the need to develop it's young talent and they would be much better suited with him coming off the bench. He doesn't want to. The team has granted him a "leave to sort out a personal family matter." Word on the street is that he is mulling retirement. Retirement for the dude nicknamed The Answer? No, not BubbaChuck. Is it his time to go? Not sure. No other NBA teams wanted him except one of the worst teams in the league. He's not satisfied with his role as a bench player. Is this the end of the road. If it is, remember what you've seen from him over his career. The good and the bad. Remember how he played the game...as if it was his last.

I think this last point will be what I remember most. AI came to hoop EVERY game. And took a beating damn near every game. If he was on the court, he was coming at you, and more than likely was gonna hang around 30 on your squad and there really wasnt anything you can do about it. Is there a player that has made more defenders look silly?

AI is the truth. I hate that he gets such a bad rap in the press. He had more heart than anybody out there except for Jordan and Kobe (I don't like Kobe, but I have to give him props for his game and his will.)

I love AI and wish he would have been on a team that won a ring BUT part of me thinks that he lived up to what the "media" said about him. I understand it's tough to come off as a bench player when you're used to being "The Answer" but he's ALWAYS complaining. When he went to Denver it seemed like he couldn't play with other stars. They traded for Chauncy and look what happened. Then he goes to Memphis and he's mad that he's a role player. Damn AI now was his time to school the young dudes and teach them. YOu don't have to start to show these dudes what's up. I feel by him saying that he had to leave the team for personal reasons was a BITCH move. Yeah, I said it! I love AI, his heart, his crossover and the raspy azz voice but I don't like his attitude! "Your attitude determines your altitude!" I do remember!

A.I. was the truth and I enjoyed his game immensely while he was here in Philly. I was fortunate enough to meet him on three occassions..Once in the Footlocker, another time at a restauraunt that he and his crew used to frequent and another time at a concert. He was a very down to earth guy...Not the bad guy he was portrayed as by the media.

I wanted him to win a ring when he was here too, but that team just didn't have the talent to overcome the Shaq-Kobe juggernaut that year.

Good read. I once wrote an article concerning Iverson, and how I believed he was pound for pound the greatest player in the NBA. Attitude and all. I think he brought the hood to the game. Many people shivered, while others forever love him for that.

Do you remember when he scored 50+ against an unbeatable Lakers team in the '01 Finals? Then, at the press conference, he made the comment that if anyone had bet their life on the game ... alot of folks would be dead. LOL.

Ah do love me some AI, and I loved him in college basketball as much as I love him in the NBA. I'll always remember his was the first Non-Knick bball shirt I rocked (and Chris Webber). If he retires then so be it.

About Me

I am...me
I am...smart
I am...talented
I am...confident
I am...caring
I am...a friend
I am...a father of three sons (Deion, Kameron, Brandon) and daughter (Skyler). The best kids in the world
I am...a husband, brother, son, the carrier of a tradition of a great race of people
I am...athletic, former college football player turned sports junkie, a hip hop head, blogger, host of the 12 Radio Show, host of the Dead End Sports Show
I am...the future
I am...all of these things and so much more. Just read.